Rear-drive chassis for motor cycles



T. GORDON.

REAR DRIVE CHASSIS FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2V1. 1920.

l ,4527,73 1. Patent-ed Aug.v 29, 1922, S

me.) g.. 22a/raad 60262'027,

UNITED STATES] PATENT oFFiCE. 'i

lTiIoMAs GORDON, or PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA "f :REAR-.DRIVEcnAss'rs son Moronv` CYCLES.

To all whom t may-concern Be it known` that l, THOMAS Go'RnoN', asubject of the King of' Great Britain, residingat 261Mu`rray Street,Perth, Western Australia, Commonwealth' of Australia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Rear-Drive Chassis for MotorCycles, or' which the following is a specification. u l' This inventionrelates 'to ,ifnot'o`i',...` cycle frames and its olojectisto` 'provide'a rear drive chassis frame on which is installed as a combined andoperative unit the rear road wheel and the thereto directly connecteddriving motor, and one of the advantages of the said invention is that adirect and positive drive is effected for said rear road vwheel andwithout the aid of chain or belt.

The rear frame is ot' a resilient, hinged and tlexible character havingshock absorbing springs and hingedly and frontwardly connected to themain cycle body frame whereby the rear wheel and engine is adapted togently rise and fall when passing over obstacles and otherirregularities of the road. f

The frame further possesses structural means whereby a lateralyieldability is imparted thereto which enables the motor cycle to turncorners without being subject to side strain or swerve troubles.

The invention will now be explained with the aid of the attacheddrawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side view showing a rear drive chassis madein accordance with my invention and having the rear road wheel anddriving engine installed thereon. Fig. 2. is a plan view of same. Fig.3. is a rear elevation. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively enlarged side andfront` detail views showing the hinged connection of the rear chassiswith the main frame of the cycle. In said drawings the existing membersof the motorcycle are indicated by broken lines.

Referring to said drawings I employ a double forked member as a which byits bridge portion al is connected to the lower stay bars a2 of thecycle frame. To each of the terminals b oi' the said forked member a issecured the upwardly inclined stay bars b1 of the cycle. To each saidterminals b by U bolts b2 and nuts is secured and anchored a group ofdownwardly `curved springs c which act as the shock absorbing agents forthe chassis and its associated members. The rear terminals of said motort havinga flywheel g and the vSpecification of LettersPatent. rPatentedAug. 29,' 1922; `Application inea August ai, iee'offseiai Naf-1.05am. ,dy l' bai" e, secL'ired/in'position by the terminal lug 'j' is securedlthecasing 'l of the' driving y, thereto con'nectedroad wheel gsee Fig.`1. Y

`springs c :by "thestra'p plate (l are hingably and treelyhung toanupper and rear cross Gn' said bar ,el are the distance sleeves I `whichare positioned as shown between i the lugf' and the strapfplate d. fThejduty, ot said plates'cl is toallowthe'springs c toV open orstraighten out by the superimposed weight when the road wheel g ispassing over an obstacle as y or other irregularity of the road.

The engine casing f1 and road wheel g are connected to the front rigidpart a1 of the rear fork by means of a .universal connection or jointcomprising a two part bracket n having an eye in one end for thereception of the pin m and an eye in the other end for the reception ofa pin r. These pins are arranged perpendicularly to one another andpivotally connect the joint to the lug 7c of the motor wheel frame andto the bracket r1 secured to the fork. These pins permit swinging of thecycle relative to the motor wheel unit in vertical planes. The universalconnection is provided with a vertical socket nl in which is rotatablyhoused the boss p which carries the pin r. This boss and socket permitrelative movement of' the cycle and motor wheel unit in a horizontalplane.

By means of the hinge or rocker pin r the chassis frame is adapted topossess a lateral movement and yieldability and thereby obviate all sidestrain or swerve when the motor cycle is turning corners.

lt is apparent that uponv the road wheel g meeting with an obstacle as yon the road, said wheel g and its thereto connected engine and casing f1when passing over same will gently and hingedly rise on the front pin mwhile by the agency of the pair of leaf springs as c, all shock and jarwill be absorbed and nullitied.

What l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:h

l. In motor cycles of the moto-r 4wheel type, a rear fork having a leafspring eX- tending' rearwardly from each side, a cross bar carried bythe ends of said leaf springs, a motor wheel unit within said forkpivotally mounted at its rear end upon said cross bar, and a universaljoint connecting the forward end of said motor Wheel untfto said fork. f

2. In motor cycles ofwthelmotor Wheelu type, a framecomprsirgarer'Afrlilravl ing sides, the forward portion of said forkibeing; rigidi; andrthe: rearward parts-.- being resihent,` a motorWheelv, lun't avlf'rgngew Within said fork and having" a fr'ane; ai'

mj 'riggairaifd their am J u. L .Lf resrhn't, au, motor w withiny sidfork and having a frame, a transvr bei?? pvotlyf conlfoied to the rearend donfljwszrd frame, means for support- -fg*tlferids"otr resilientportions of said fork from said transverse bar, spacers: mountedomsaldbar between sind? motor:

Whe-@14 unit. and; Seid Supporting means for centi'ly" s'tisid motorWheel unit, and a universal jontweonneilngtheflfron@ fr :Herne .oilfsafmor Wheel unit to the in presenceCk of tivo" `snbso'rilong y Wit#

